SVVANTON : COLONEL GEORGE MONTAGU. I65 



Six years later was published his well-known " Ornithological 

 Dictionary, or Alphabetical Synopsis of British Birds." Eleven years 

 elapsed before a supplement was published at Exeter. This work 

 has been reprinted at least three times, by Rennie in 1831, by Edward 

 Newman in 1866, and by Messrs. Sonnenschein & Allen. In the 

 former editions many additions were made by the editors. Through- 

 out this work that caution in accepting evidence, characteristic of all 

 his writing, is everywhere seen, e.g.^ though he mentions the Great 

 Black Woodpecker, he does so " with considerable doubt," as he 

 cannot speak of it from direct knowledge. 



In the same year (1802) his "Description of several Marine 

 Animals found on the South Coast of Devonshire " was read before 

 the Linnean Society on December 7th, and subsequently published in 

 the seventh vol. of the Transactions (p. 61), with two plates. In the 

 introduction of this paper he remarks with pardonable pride, " In 

 pursuit of my first object, that of making myself acquainted with all 

 the British Testacea and their animal inhabitants, as far as possible, I 

 soon discovered that much remained to be done in that branch of 

 natural history, having with diligent search and indefatigable attention^ 

 added nearly double the number of species to those already given by 

 any author, as indigenous to our coasts." The next year the "Testacea 

 Britannica " saw the light. It was in two parts, printed by J. S. 

 Hollis, Romsey, and sold by J. White, Fleet Street. The sixteen 

 excellent coloured plates were drawn and engraved by Eliza Donville. 

 This celebrated work has been justly described as being " next to 

 Miiller, one of the best works on land and freshwater shells." 



The following paragraph from the preface is characteristic of the 

 man : "Aware that some shells have been given as English which 

 never originated there, we have been cautious of admitting anything 

 but upon the best authority ; and where we have expressed doubt, 

 we beg it may not be considered as arrogance, or contempt for the 

 opinion of others, but a wish to develop truth ; we are all liable to 

 err, but those least who search for nature where nature flows." 



The year 1803 must have been an exceptionally busy one even for 

 such an indefatigable worker as Montagu ; not only did he publish the 

 " Testacea Britannica," but also reprinted in this year the " Sports- 

 man's Directory," and wrote a paper for the Linnean Society, giving 

 his " Observations on some Species of British Quadrupeds, Birds, 

 and Fishes." The latter was read on December 20th, and published 

 in the seventh vol. of the Transactions (p. 274). It contains interest- 



I Some idea of the magnitude of Montagu's work may be gleaned by noting that in the 

 recent Lists of British JMarine and Non-marine Mollusca published by the Conch. Soc, we find 

 his name appended to no less than 72 species and 16 varieties (7 species and 4 varieties being non- 

 marine). He was also responsible for the genus Lainellaria. Turton named the genus 

 Montactita after him. 



